title: Detection of Spironucleus muris in unpreserved mouse tissue and fecal samples by using a PCR assay.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to develop a rapid DNA isolation method and a sensitive and specific PCR assay for detecting Spironucleus muris in mouse tissue and fecal samples. A PCR assay based on the carboxy terminus of the elongation factor 1a gene was developed; the PCR product was confirmed by nucleic acid sequencing and nested PCR. The new PCR assay then was used to test feces from animals that had been screened for S. muris by using direct intestinal examination and histology. The PCR assay was determined to be a more sensitive test than either direct intestinal examination or intestinal histology. To our knowledge, this assay represents the first use of a PCR-based diagnostic screening method to confirm the presence of S. muris in murine tissue and fecal samples.
authors.affiliation: Comparative Medicine Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases/NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
authors.forename: Michelle A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Fain
authors.forename: Zuzana
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Karjala
authors.forename: Kathy A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Perdue
authors.forename: Michelle K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Copeland
authors.forename: Lily I
authors.initials: LI
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: William R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Elkins
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016828:Diplomonadida / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology*; D051379:Mice; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary*; D012376:Rodent Diseases / Q000469:parasitology*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D016054:DNA, Protozoan